5 minutes with… Vera Blue

The super stylish artist you’ll see everywhere this festival season
- byTamara Davis

05 Dec
2018

As she prepares for a busy summer of headline shows, we catch up with Sydney singer-songwriter Vera Blue (real name Celia Pavey) to talk all things fashion and music. And Harry Styles.

What’s behind your stage name, Vera Blue?

My music before Vera Blue was very folk, and I still write it, it’s what I grew up writing and listening to. But when I discovered my love for electronic music - I was listening to artists like Banks, FKA Twigs, Flume, people like that - I said to [my writing partners] I feel like I want to experiment with electronic music. That extra grit created a new artist in me. It makes me move and feel in different ways. On stage as Vera Blue I’m free. I thought the project deserved a new name and Vera Blue is what it became.

You’ve got a flair for fashion. What are some of your favourite labels?

I’ve been working with Alice McCall for a long time, I love her stuff and earlier this year I went to Fashion Week with my stylist in New York and saw her runway show. I really love Zimmerman, and Gucci and Prada make some really special, cool pieces. Music and fashion go hand in hand in a way. I feel like it can create a sense of character on stage.

Do you have a favourite vintage find?

Some things I find are super cheap and really quite quirky and cool. There was this leopard print t-shirt, I normally would never wear leopard print but there was just something about this t-shirt that made me want to wear it. And I really like those old school matching tracksuit vibes.

What are you enjoying wearing on stage right now?

I love wearing flat shoes like Dr Martens… there are so many different styles now! They have metallics, white with zip-ups, purple… I have lots of Docs. They’re really fun to dance in because you can stomp around and kick shit. I really like wearing things that are quite sheer or catch the light.

We need to know who your dream duet would be…

I’m not even saying this because he’s beautiful, but Harry Styles – his record really blew me away. All the stuff he was doing with One Direction, that was him at the time, but now he’s the man and artist he’s always wanted to be. The songs are so unique. They’ve got this Bowie vibe. He performs songs like The Chain be Fleetwood Mac, so he’s keeping that classic vibe and the old school folk rock, which I love. And the suits! I think he’s awesome.

What’s on the horizon for you; what’s next?

I’m doing some more writing now. I’ve spent a bit of time in LA working with some people and I’ll continue to do that because it’s such a creative space. Spreading the Vera Blue project internationally is exciting. [I’ve got] some really exciting festivals coming up, and just collaborating with people. Collaborating with women. Being creative in different ways. I’m really pumped.

Do you have a favourite vintage find?

Some things I find are super cheap and really quite quirky and cool. There was this leopard print t-shirt, I normally would never wear leopard print but there was just something about this t-shirt that made me want to wear it. And I really like those old school matching tracksuit vibes..